Why project management skills in addition to functional skills?

 Why project management skills in addition to functional skills? 

(Execution Excellence -"Ability to get things done" Series)
 

 

As we have discussed the macro level importance of developing project management skills to get things done in the workplace, let us understand how a manager/leader is exposed to more of a project environment in day-to-day activities and the need for project management skills in addition to functional skills.
 
Even though we will be doing repetitive tasks in a functional area, when we grow up, we only get into more non-repetitive tasks.

 

Typically, in the organization, when you are at a lower level of the hierarchy, say at the executive level, your task may be repetitive. For example, in HR functions, as an executive, processing attendance and payroll are repetitive. When you grow up in the same HR functions and get into managerial positions, your tasks become non-repetitive. The non-repetitive task is the project.
 
For example, as HR head, "recruiting people" is a typical HR activity. It looks like a repetitive task, but it is not. Each recruitment is a new experience, new candidate, new profile, and requirements are different. Expectations of stakeholders like candidates and internal customers are different, and the timeline and cost are fixed.
 
You may relate to any function and managerial position, but you realize that we do non-repetitive tasks only 80 % of the time, even though it looks repetitive.

Whenever any task calls for different scope, timeline, and resource commitment, that is called a project.

When there is a project nature of work, there may be uncertainties of success, we need to deal with many stakeholders whose expectations are different, and conflict will be part of it; there is always pressure on meeting timeline and cost aspects.
 
This non-repetitive task or project needs different skills to overcome the challenges. Typical functional expertise alone is not sufficient. There only developing project management skills becomes essential.

To sum up, when we go higher up in our career, we will deal with more projects, and project needs different skills to manage the challenges beyond functional skills. The person who learns the project management skill will have more edge in getting things done in the workplace.
 
 Have a great week ahead.

Developing Project Management Skills

 Developing Project Management Skills

(Execution Excellence -"Ability to get things done" Series)
 

 

As we are discussing the ability to get things done under the Execution Excellence series, one of the skills every manager and functional head should develop is the "Project management skill."

What is project management skill?

Project management skills combine hardcore functional/technical skills and softcore skills of interpersonal, proactive, and result-oriented traits and characteristics that will help to get things done.
 
As working professionals, we display functional expertise by using many skills, tools, and techniques. We are reasonably successful in getting things done. When we look at our success as a functional manager, we can see some patterns in it.

Our functional activities are familiar or routine to us.
The environment is safe, and we are comfortable.
Our team is familiar with our functioning style, and we know them very well and know their expectations as stakeholders.

We often deal with routine activities, and familiar stakeholders and the environment are certain. 
 
Hence, getting things done is relatively easy. Functional capabilities are sufficient to get things done.
 
For example,

as a financial head, compiling the bills and making reports related to finance and statutory requirements are relatively easy as it is routine, stakeholders are limited, and they may report directly to the head.

When the finance head is asked to implement an ERP system, he/she needs to work beyond functions to get things done, as stakeholders are beyond functions. They have to manage a cross-functional team with varied expectations; the work is new and uncertain, and most stakeholders do not report to them directly. They must balance people and results and get things done in a cross-functional environment.
 
 In that scenario, project management skill becomes essential.
 
Why is project management skill required?


  
When you are growing up in a career, you will be dealing with more than your functional boundary. You have to get things done through the cross-functional team.

Developing project management skills will enhance the capability to look at things from a business perspective, which will help you get into business leadership positions.

Since you can get things done with any stakeholders, your execution skill enhances, and your personal productivity also improves.
 
Let us discuss the following in the coming weeks.
 
*How is project management different from functional management?
*Misconception about project management
*Typical project management principles and skills one has to learn?
*How to develop those skills in the current functional role?
*How do leaders develop project management skills for the team?
 
Have a great week ahead!
 

Knowing your work

  Knowing your work 

(Execution Excellence -"Ability to get things done" Series)

 

Under the Series " Execution Excellence-Ability to get things done" in a professional setup, we have discussed the importance, methodologies, and some insights on
 1. Personal Leadership
 2. Inspiring and influencing others

The last is "Having in-depth knowledge and awareness of the work or business."
 
For several reasons, having in-depth knowledge and awareness about one's work or business helps get things done efficiently.

1. Informed Decision-Making: When you have a deeper understanding of your work or business, you can make more informed and well-thought-out decisions. Knowledge allows you to consider various factors, analyze potential outcomes, and choose the best action.
2. Building Credibility and Trust: Expertise in your field enhances your credibility and earns the trust of colleagues, superiors, and clients. Others are more likely to rely on and support your decisions and initiatives when they see your knowledge and competence.
3. High Edge on solving problems and influencing people than someone with limited knowledge about the work/ business.

For example,
 
 An executive working for new product development in a software company with a solid technical background and knowledge of the industry can better assess the feasibility of the product, understand the market demands, and guide the development team effectively. They can provide valuable insights during the design and development phases, resulting in a product that meets customer needs and gains a competitive advantage. In contrast, an executive with limited technical knowledge might need help comprehending the project leading to delays, miscommunication, and potentially a less competitive product.

Similarly financial head in a manufacturing company with a thorough understanding of the business's financial performance can make strategic financial decisions more confidently. He/ She can identify cost-saving opportunities, evaluate investment options, and allocate resources efficiently to drive growth. In contrast, a finance head with limited financial acumen may need help to grasp the financial implications of different decisions, leading to suboptimal financial outcomes for the organization.

Similarly, consider a Human Resources (HR) executive responsible for talent acquisition and employee development in a pharmaceutical company. An HR executive who understands the specific skill sets required for various roles can hire suitable candidates and design training programs to enhance their capabilities. An HR executive with limited knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry may need help to recruit and retain the right talent.

The key point is that in-depth knowledge about own profession will help to execute fast without struggle. 
 
Learning more about our work and our business is a continuous effort, and the more we know, the higher we have capabilities to get things done.
 
Have a great week ahead!

Overcoming fear of failure with REASONING

 

                                                       
 

On the subject of fear of failure in selling our ideas or solutions to others in a professional setup, we discussed the reason for fear and its impact. We listed the following approach to overcome the fear.

1. Redefine the failure
2. Imposing Logical / reasoning over emotions
3. Learning attitude
 
As we have discussed "Redefining the failure" last week, let us discuss the "Imposing Logical / reasoning over emotions" now.
 
As we are aware that fear is just a feeling or emotion and it does not have any logic or meaning in it, however, it has the power to control our actions.

One of the approaches experts suggests countering the feeling with reasoning. 

What is meant by reasoning?

It is the action of thinking about something logically, sensible way. The reasoning has more facts and logic.

For example, when you take some initiative in the organization, you may worry about the consequence of failure as it may affect you in terms of creditability, or you may lose time or money. During those moments, when you counter the feeling with logical thinking or questions, that is called reasoning.
 
The following logical thinking or questions will help to manage the emotions of fear.
 
How many times in the past have we failed in our new initiatives?
Even if it failed, what were the changes in the assumptions and in the environment made to fail?
What would worst happen if we fail again?
What are the options available to correct even if we fail?
What benefit would happen if we move ahead and succeed in the initiative?

So, countering emotions with logical thinking will help to overcome the fear to some extent...

The other approach is getting into action, fail and perceive the failure as a learning experience.

The point is that as professionals, we may encounter many situations to deal with emotion, and how we manage and move ahead differentiates us from others.

Have a great week ahead.

How can a leader inculcate the purpose?

 How can a leader inculcate the purpose?

(Emotional Management for Personal & Professional Growth Series)

As we have discussed the importance and method of creating PURPOSE at an individual level, let us discuss how effective leaders are inculcating the PURPOSE to the organization's employees.

As an individual, the benefit of knowing the purpose is to elevate our energy and focus on a higher cause, which will also help us navigate the challenges easily. Similarly, when the team in the organization also knows and aligns themselves on the higher purpose of the organization, the focus and interaction would be on a higher cause than isolated or distracted working.

Since people come from different values and personal needs to the organization, bringing the people together is very significant for organizational growth and internal harmony. Getting that alignment is one of the responsibilities of an effective leader.

As I observed, some of the below practices by effective leaders.
 
1.Sharing the value of the organization to the team frequently
2.Keep the team engaged with new possibilities or targets
 
Sharing the value of the organization to the team frequently:

This is one of the practices some effective leaders adopt to keep the people on an elevated level. They use to share the organizational values frequently with the team whenever they interact or through forums.
 
For example, in one of my previous organizations, the Managing director of the company frequently mentions “Trust building with the customer through service.” Eventually, when the people are exposed to the repeated value's expectation, their actions and interactions with others are also in line with their organizational values. As long as the person is working in the organization, he is bound to work with building trust with others.

Keep the team engaged with new possibilities or targets.

This is another method I had observed with some of the leaders. They engage the team by showing new possibilities or business targets. This will make the team to work on an elevated emotional level as the future possibilities eventually tap out their potential. As human beings, we are always excited to look forward to new things that we have not seen earlier.

For example, a few years back, Ratan Tata conceived the idea of the low-cost car, which no one ever thought of before. That new possibility might have created a positiveness and drive for Tata motors' internal team to work together to see it in reality.
 
The key point when you are aligned with higher-level purpose, your energy, emotions, managing the challenges, and achievement orientation would be to a higher degree. That is applicable for the individual and the organization as well.!

Some leaders are good at inculcating those purposes in the team through their consistent effort, which i think is one of the leader's primary responsibilities!
 

Improving communication in the workplace-Summary

As we have been discussing for the last 20 weeks about improving communication in the workplace from an individual or personal effort perspective, now let us pause on this topic by summarising the key learnings.

Key learnings:
 

• Effective communication is all about meeting the purpose of your intent with others. It is not about language proficiency.
• As people are from different backgrounds in the workplace, each needs different levels of the communication process, and it is an individual 's responsibility to develop the skill rather than pointing others for poor communication results.
• People will listen to you only when your communication contains ALL  the below elements.

• Expertise in the subject or creditability proof 
• Connecting emotionally with the person
• Logically connecting with facts

• You can connect emotionally with others by consistently displaying. 

Respect to others and feeling good with you
Listening  and undivided attention to others
Prompting others and fulfilling the need of “what is in it for me “
Your friendly  posture, tone, facial expression
Knowing the difference between criticism and feedback
Being approachable to others
 

• In the workplace, we can not avoid conflict due to differences in the thought processes of each person. The only way to manage the conflict is through appropriate usage of assertiveness, proactive communication, and sometimes to ignore the battle for the interest of higher purpose.

• Going forward, to manage the new generation, Influencing skill is mostly expected expertise in the workplace rather than the conventional way of commanding and directing. Influencing skills can be learned and developed with awareness and practice.

Developing communication skills is a lifetime learning process, and you need to invest in it to progress in the career path!
 

Being approachable

Improving communication in the workplace

Being approachable

 
One of the factors to improve the effectiveness of communication is creating a favorable environment for conversation. The atmosphere is not the physical environment at an organizational level, but on the emotional aspects at a personal level. That psychological, environmental factor is “Being approachable.”
 
What is meant by being approachable?

Being approachable means how others are feeling when they want to reach out and communicate with you. The feeling could be memorable, friendly in nature, inspiring, relaxed, or fearful, disappointment, demotivated once they reach out to you.

Approachability is not confined only by physical proximity but at an emotional level. In most of the workplace, this is a concern, particularly in the relationship between superior and juniors and between colleagues.
 
It does not mean that you need to give less priority to your job and to offer yourself for others when others want to reach out to you. Even if you are busy with your work, you can demonstrate your approachability with a polite, assertive, and permissible way of communication.
 
For example, you might have observed and heard the following scenario in your workplace, especially with your senior members when you approach them, or you demonstrate to your colleagues or subordinates.
 
1. Not effectively listening with face to face, instead of doing something and listening to you
2. "Don’t tell me stories. Come to the point straight."
3. "Don’t tell me the problem, I want only solutions" (the person comes to you for solutions approach)
4. Not returning the phone calls and messages
5. Not responding to mail communication
 
Those are the behaviors that create a perception that the person is not easily approachable. All those behaviors distant you from others even though they are nearby physically.
 
When there is a barrier to “approachability,” eventually, the quality of communication suffers either by not sharing full information or not getting information on time.
 
Just be aware of behaviors that make you not being approachable .!

Developing Influencing skill

Improving communication in the workplace

Developing Influencing skill 

 
One of the effective way to improve overall communication and harmony in the workplace is by influencing others to get things done. 
 
What is influencing?
 
Influencing is the power to change or direct someone without directly forcing them to do. It is more of impacting others positively with your personality and communication process.

For example,

When you are proposing or initiating an improvement idea in your organization, and when you express it to others,  it is accepted and implemented by others. People may or may not be reporting to you, yet they are convinced to proceed based on your communication methods, respect, and trust. They make it happen as if they are not forced to do it, but it happens on their willingness. That is influencing.

The communication method could be explaining the purpose, listening , respecting the views and convincing.

Why do influencing skills need to be learned?

When you grow up on the career ladder, your success depends on how you are getting things done across functions apart from your domain or functions. Commanding will not help beyond some level and only influencing help.

Also, young generations come up smarter than you, and they like to work with influencing personality than the controller.
 
Factors that help to become an influencer in the workplace
 
Expertise in your chosen  domain
Respect and listening
Being assertive than aggressive or passive
Gaining trust and respect through your character and competency
Provoke others with questions and change the perception
Purposeful communication
Focusing more on the solution than problem or  arguments

 The point is when you learn to influence others to get things done, you also enjoy the work and the people are also enjoying to work with you. Hence, worth to invest in developing the influencing skill!
 

Managing conflict with assertive communication

Improving communication in the workplace

Managing conflict with assertive communication
 

When conflict occurs in the workplace, you have a choice to manage thorough either passive or aggressive, and both have pros and cons. The third choice to manage conflict is assertive communication, which has only advantages.

This communication quality helps to improve the harmony and growth of the individual. However, it calls for managing your emotions during the conflict and a high level of patience and maturity. If one puts effort into learning this skill in life, I can say that it is the most precious asset one can have.
 
Assertive communication:

Assertive communication is all about how you are expressing your views by maintaining respect, showing empathy, or understanding other’s opinions from their perspective and also be firm in your views. In the end, both have to feel good and sense of achieving the purpose.

One instance I had witnessed some time back in one of the product development organization. The team put a lot of effort into developing a product and ready for launch in a few months down the line. The product manager was showing the proto to the managing director of the organization and explaining the features. The managing director suggested some modifications to improve the aesthetic.The team knew that the suggestion was good, but making any modification at the moment would delay the product launch. Since the advice came from the head of the organization, they could not resist.

The product manager had two choices in front of him; either he could passively accept the suggestion as direction, change the product, and delay the timeline. Another option he had was to refuse and argue aggressively. But he responded well by using assertive communication as follows

“I agree with your suggestion as this may improve product value further, and  I suggest to take it as a future product line extension and the implications to be worked out. Any change at this moment will delay the product launch timeline, cost. I think we should move forward now.”
 
The above assertive expression consists of respecting other’s opinions and acknowledging, not rubbing the ego with an argument, indicating the consequences and at the same time being firm on the stand considering the big picture of the organizational growth. That results in closure of the conflict and never resurfaced after that.
 
The point is most of the conflict happens either due to ignorance of information, a perspective difference of individual and the one who manages the conversation with an assertive way emerges as a leader. This calls for conscious development on self on assertive communication!

Aggressively expressing to manage conflict.

Improving communication in the workplace


 

Aggressively expressing to manage conflict.

 
Last week, I mentioned about 3 types of expressing or communicating when conflict arises in workplaces and discussed the pros and cons of “passive expression.” Let us understand the second type of expression, “Aggressively communicating.”
 
Aggressively expressing or communicating:

When the difference of opinion or conflict arises between two people or team, one person takes the upper hand and forces others to accept his/ her views and move on. That is aggressive communication.

Whether aggressive communication is right or wrong?

Only the context defines it.

Generally, it is being told aggressiveness is not the right way of communication. But in the workplace perspective, some point of time, the decision has to be taken at the right time, and timing is critical. The person who is in an authority position in the conversation or in context has to settle down others through his forcing communication only. When the person takes an aggressive approach for a higher purpose, then it is right than beating the bush without making any decision.

In some organizations I have witnessed, people are kind to each other in all matters, and no decision or conclusion being taken by anyone as they perceive aggressiveness is against harmony.
 
When is aggressiveness perceived as rude or bad?

Naturally, when you want to force others to accept your views, your body language posture changes from compassion to commanding position, and your tone rises to a high pitch, and you lose your emotional balance. When you lose your emotions, you use to divert into other dimensions like getting into personal, taking past references, talking irrelevant things. During that moment, you are seen as an “angry, low temperament person", and the intention of your expression is lost.
 
There is a thin line between aggressive and assertively expressing your views and can be learned through awareness and let us discuss expression assertively in next week!

Managing conflict with the communication process

Improving communication in the workplace

Managing conflict with the communication process
 

As discussed, the conflict can never be avoided in the workplace due to different viewpoints, only it can be managed to get the things done and to maintain a cordial relationship.

Whatever may be the conflict, how we approach with right communication process makes a difference, and this is more of a state of mind and also be a skill that needs to be learned.
 
Before getting into the different communication processes, we need to have clarity about which conflict we would like to face. Some of the conflicts are not worth to deal with, and it is better to let it go.

The practical approaches in dealing with conflict as follows and each one has their merit depends on the conflict nature/person involved and the situation

1. Passively expressing
2. Aggressively expressing
3. Assertively expressing

Let us understand the insights in each of the communication process

Passively  expressing:
 
When conflict happens between two people, one person takes a passive approach by allowing another person to satisfy their concerns while neglecting themselves. In this process, internally, the person is suffering.
Sometimes this approach is beneficial when the other person is being “power centered” and not in a position to listen to your views.
And also, this approach is useful when you do not want to pay attention to the conflict or if the conflict is not worth to take forward.

For example, if the conflict is to have scheduled review meetings in the morning or afternoon between you and your boss. There is no point in having a debate or justifying your views to keep either morning or evening. In either case, you are going to be the “essential person” in the review meeting. Also, by arguing for this case, you are wasting your energy, and it is better to be passive.
 
Depending on the importance of the issue, you need to weigh relationships vs tasks and then decide to ignore or live with the flow. But you need to be conscious about your inner peace when the conflict happens and the way you deal with it through passive expression.
 
Let us discuss other communication processes next week!

Managing conflict with elevated thinking

Improving communication in the workplace

Managing conflicts with elevated thinking

When conflict happens between two people in the workplace, most of us use  the following methods to resolve the conflict 

1. Forcing others to accept your views with your positional power
2. Passively accepting other views without expressing your standpoint
3. Ignoring and moving on
4. Compromising -settling down in between which way both are not happy
5. Collaborating to find the intention behind others view and finding the solution which is mutually agreeing on happily.

Each method has its implication on the relationship and the quality of work.

One of the ways effective leaders adopt to deal with conflict is “working on elevation.”

For example, when the conflict happens, between the function, say from finance and marketing on delivering the goods against payment only. The conflict resolution could be going along with the opinion of finance or marketing. The effective leader solves the conflict by bringing the customer or organizational wellness into the perspective to resolve the conflict among the functions.

Similarly, in most of the workplace, the conflict between two people would be “who supposed to do what“and the conflict gets into personal friction among the individual. Even though this can be claimed as an organizational development issue, the conflict can be avoided if either one of them thinks from the third angle of the customer or organization’s perspective.

When you think or look at higher needs, the low-level conflict can be resolved. This is one of the leadership qualities in dealing with conflicts.

Let us discuss the communication process in dealing with conflicts by next week!  

Managing Conflict

Improving communication in the workplace

Managing Conflict

As we have discussed improving communication in the workplace in a normal circumstance, another testing point for improving communication effectiveness is during the conflict. Managing conflict by balancing relationships, and the result is art, and some people are good at it.

What is meant by conflict in the workplace?

Conflict is a difference in thought process, interest, opinions about something among the individuals or team

For example,
In one of the client organizations, the senior member wants to increase top-line growth, whereas the new generation executive intends to focus on maximizing profitability than sales growth. That is a conflict of interest among individuals.

Maintenance functional team members asking for releasing machines for maintenance purposes, and the production team refuses to release to meet the delivery targets. That is a conflict of interest among the group.

If you really observe the day to day interactions of every individual and team, there could be a series of differences in interest, values, thoughts, and opinions.

Why does conflict happen in the workplace?

When different people come together for a common goal, the visible difference in thought process arises due to the difference in background, exposure, functional priorities or agendas, or lack of awareness about the task or outcome.

Whatever the intentions of your thought process, there are some people out there to come out with alternative thought processes and opinions. Conflict cannot be avoided, and we need to learn different strategies to manage the conflict.

Sometimes disagreement arises due to positional status or desire to fulfill the ego of an individual.

What will happen when conflict is not managed well?

When we are not managing the conflict, there could be a possibility of

1. Damaging the relationship
2. Developing stress internally
3. Prolonging the decision and affecting the task or goal
4. Creating an environment not conducive of harmony

Let us discuss the methods of managing conflicts, communication methods in next week!

Criticism Vs. Feedback

Improving communication in the workplace

Criticism Vs. Feedback

As discussed the definition and the reason for criticism in a professional environment, let us understand the alternative for criticism.

What is happening during criticism?

When we criticize others even intending to correct others, the receiver immediately does not recognize it as a process correction than the comments target him/ her as personal. Once he/ she feels personal, he/she start defending their action by reciprocating into arguments or going onto inferior complex or developing personal vengeance with others.

However, in professional life, how can we proceed without judging or correcting others when they make a mistake? As a leader, we cannot be blindfolded with other’s behavior. There is an alternative to criticism, that is FEEDBACK.

Criticism vs. Feedback

There is a  minute difference between criticism and feedback.

Criticism is more about judgment or conclusion, more about targeting the person or harsh in the expression, inclined more on the past.

Whereas Feedback is more about evaluating the process, more about targeting the process and firm in expression and also provide solutions to correct the behavior and future-oriented

For example,

When  your team member makes a mistake in preparing presentations with more grammatical and typo error, as a leader, you have two choices to respond

If you are criticizing, the typical expression would be "You always make a mistake in the presentation. you do not know the basic texting process."

If you are giving feedback, the typical expression would be " I find more mistakes in your presentation and i suggest that you can use the “ spell check” option before you send it to others. Learn about it".

Both statements are pointing out the mistakes to correct the person, but there is a difference in expression, value addition to another person.

Criticism - a barrier for effective communication

Improving communication in the workplace

Criticism - a barrier for effective communication

One of the barriers to effective communication is “ criticism.” The moment we get into criticism mode, either the sender or receiver stop the communication flow.
 
What is meant by criticism?
 
Criticism is our judgement about someone or somebody’s activities and expressing more aggressively.

For example,

In one organization, senior design manager found a mistake of his subordinate's design work, called the person and shouted as follows, “you are useless designer, you do not know the design fundamentals, you are simply wasting my time” ... that is criticism ( Actually the manager only recruited junior designer !!)

In another organization, the business head rolled out a new initiative to his team and said, “ you people are never going to take it to forward as I know you failed in the past in similar initiatives.“ That is criticism.

 In both examples, the words are harsh, mainly hitting the person and not giving any improvement direction. That is the characteristics of criticism.

Why are we criticizing others?

We are making a judgement on others may be with good intention only like
 

1. We want others to improve
2. We like/care them to grow 
3. We may not like the way things are  being done
4. Our inherent nature of finding PERFECTION in everything or only seeing a black dot in entire white space.

Either we are criticizing others knowingly or unknowingly, but in reality, our words and expression hurt others. Criticism is affecting others by lowering the self-image or confidence in their process.

Let us discuss the following next week.

What is happening to the sender and receiver during criticism?
What is the alternative to criticism as our intention is still to make others improve?
The difference between criticism and feedback?
The more delicate aspect of giving feedback

Setting the Context for effective communication

Improving communication in the workplace

Setting the Context for effective communication.

 
One of the common pitfalls for ineffective communication is lack of clarity on the context or background. Assumptions play a significant role in distorting the intention of communication. As a leader, we need to spend more time on setting the context clearly when we communicate any critical instructions or task to others.
 
For example,
some years back, my manager asked me to prepare a plant layout design to accommodate some more facilities. I also got into data collection and micro designing of alternative options. One week later, he called me and asked me to show the proposal, and I replied that still, I was collecting the data. He got annoyed with my response. Then, he clarified that he wanted first the quick conceptual layout for feasibility purpose to get the approval from management, whereas I was working on the detailed, micro-level plan which supposed to be done once conceptually approved. We lost time.

Here the learning is “mismatch of assumptions” by both. Effective communication should be the manager must have communicated the purpose behind his request for layout options, in what phases he wanted to go for and timeline specific. That is the context setting.
 
When we are not setting the context clearly, people will assume based on their level of knowledge and background, and the communication intent may get lost. We may argue that the receiver also should clarify the assumptions, but in reality, the giver knows more, and he/ she has to set the context.
 
Hence, if you want to improve the effectiveness of communication, the context has to be articulated clearly without giving room for assumptions. Setting the context as part of the conversation becomes a habit once you consciously practice.